From Idea to TestFlight: Shipping an iOS App

## The Journey

Taking DriverPro from idea to TestFlight was a 3-month journey filled with learning. Here's the complete process.

Phase 1: Planning & Design (Week 1-2)

• User research with actual rideshare drivers
• Wireframing in Figma
• Technical architecture planning
• Choosing React Native + Expo for faster development

Phase 2: Core Development (Week 3-8)

Setting Up the Project

npx create-expo-app DriverPro --template blank-typescript
cd DriverPro
npx expo install expo-location expo-task-manager

Key Features Built

1. Trip tracking with GPS
2. Expense categorization
3. Mileage calculation
4. Tax report generation

Phase 3: Testing (Week 9-10)

• Unit tests with Jest
• Integration tests
• Beta testing with 10 drivers
• Bug fixes and refinements

Phase 4: App Store Preparation (Week 11-12)

EAS Build Configuration

{
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "ios": {
        "simulator": false,
        "buildConfiguration": "Release"
      }
    }
  }
}

Submitting to TestFlight

eas build --platform ios --profile production
eas submit --platform ios

Key Takeaways

1. Start with user research
2. Use Expo for faster iteration
3. Test with real users early
4. Plan for App Store requirements from day 1